Electronic card connector

ABSTRACT

An electrical card connector includes an insulative housing and an ejector. The insulative housing has an insertion space formed therein, and a guiding groove. The ejector includes a sliding element having a guiding block projected from a bottom side thereof, and the guiding block is installed slidably in the guiding groove. Due to this arrangement, the sliding element can be moved smoothly into the guiding groove and the electronic card can be inserted smoothly into the insulative housing or ejected smoothly from the insulative housing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of The Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic card connector, andparticularly relates to an electronic card connector for accommodatingan electronic card, and a device which ejects the electronic card fromthe electronic card connector when the card is pushed.

2. Description of the Related

Small electronic cards with a large memory are nowadays regularly usedwith many kinds of portable electrical products, for example, cellphones, digital cameras and PDAs. The electrical product has a PCB andan electrical card connector fixed on the PCB for accommodating anelectronic card and electrically connecting it to the conductiveterminals of the electronic card. The electrical card connector furtherincludes an ejector for ejecting the electronic card that isaccommodated in the electrical card connector. Because the electroniccard is frequently inserted and ejected from the electrical cardconnector, the electrical card connector must be durable enough toensure the smooth insertion and ejection of the electronic card from theelectrical card connector so no damage is caused, thus avoiding thesituation where the electrical card connector fails to connect with theelectronic card. Hence the conductive terminals of the electrical cardconnector and the electronic card are electrically connected to eachother.

Referring to FIG. 1, the electrical card connector of the prior art isused to accommodate an electronic card (not shown), comprising anisolative housing 6, a conductive terminal 7, an ejector 8 and a shieldcasing 9. The isolative housing 6 has a base portion 60, a first arm 61and a second arm 62. The first arm 61 and the second arm 62 areconnected parallel to two sides of the base portion 60. The isolativehousing 1 further includes an insertion space 63. The conductiveterminal 7 is arranged on the base portion 60 of the isolative housing6. The ejector 8 has a sliding element 80, an elastic element 81, aguiding element 82 and a track groove 83. The track groove 83 is formedon the first arm 61 and adjacent to the base portion 60. The slidingelement 80 has a sliding portion 801 disposed slidably on the first arm61 and a pushed arm 802 inserted into the insertion space 63. Theelastic element 81 is installed between the first arm 61 and the slidingelement 80. One side of the guiding element 82 is a pivot side 821 andthe other side of the guiding element 82 is a guiding side 822. Thepivot side 821 is connected pivotally to the sliding portion 801 of thesliding element 80, and the guiding side 822 is received movably in thetrack groove 83. The shield casing 9 covers the isolative housing 6 forclamping the sliding portion 801 between the first arm 61 and shieldcasing 9.

When the electronic card is inserted into the insertion space 63, oneside of the electronic card pushes the pushed arm 802 of the slidingelement 80 and the elastic element 81 extends to move the guiding side822 of the guiding element 82. It is thereby positioned in the trackgroove 83 completing the inserting action. When the electronic card ispushed again, the guiding side 822 of the guiding element 82 is releasedfrom the track groove 83 and the elastic element 80 pulls the slidingelement 80 back for the push arm 802 which ejects the electronic cardfrom the electrical card connector to complete the ejecting action.Because the sliding portion 801 of the sliding element 80 is onlyclamped between the first arm 61 and the shield casing 9, the slidingelement 80 is easily swung and rubbed. As such, the electronic cardcannot be smoothly inserted into or ejected from the electrical cardconnector, causing damage to the electrical connection between theelectronic card and the conductive terminal 7.

With the employment of unique considerations and application oftheories, and based on several years experience in specializedproduction of all flexible assembly systems and mechanisms, the inventorhas come up with an innovative electrical card connector.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide an electricalcard connector in which the electronic card can be smoothly insertedinto or ejected from the electrical card connector.

In order to achieve the above objectives, the present invention providesan electrical card connector, comprising an insulative housing and anejector. The insulative housing includes an insertion space formedtherein, and a guiding groove. The ejector includes a sliding elementhaving a guiding block projected from a bottom side thereof. The guidingblock is installed slidably in the guiding groove.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended toprovide further explanation of the invention as claimed. Otheradvantages and features of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various objectives and advantages of the present invention will bemore readily understood from the following detailed description whenread in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective, exploded view of the electrical card connectorof the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a first perspective, exploded view of the electrical cardconnector of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a first perspective, assembled view of the electrical cardconnector of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a second perspective, exploded view of the electrical cardconnector of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a second perspective, assembled view of the electrical cardconnector of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a third perspective, exploded view of the electrical cardconnector of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a third perspective, assembled view of the electrical cardconnector of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a fourth perspective, exploded view of the electrical cardconnector of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a fourth perspective, assembled view of the electrical cardconnector of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the sliding element of the ejectoraccording to the present invention;

FIG. 11 is another perspective view of the sliding element of theejector according to the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective, exploded view of the electrical card connectoraccording to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 11, the present invention provides anelectrical card connector for receiving an electronic card. Theelectrical card connector includes an insulative housing 1, a conductiveterminal 2, an ejector 3 and a shield casing 4.

The insulative housing 1 has a base portion 10, a first arm 11 and asecond arm 12. The first arm 11 and the second arm 12 are connectedparallel to two sides of the base portion 10, respectively. Theinsulative housing further includes an insertion space 13 formedtherein. The base portion 10 of the insulative housing 1 has a receivinghole 102 formed on a top face thereof, and a positioning block 101disposed on an outside face thereof. The first arm 11 and the second arm12 have two positioning blocks 121 disposed on an outside face thereof,respectively. The fist arm 111 has a sliding area 111 with a guidinggroove 112 formed on an inside face thereof. The sliding area 111 iscommunicated with the insertion space 13. The guiding groove 112 isparallel to a moving path 131. The first arm 11 has a pivot hole 115formed on a top face of a rear side thereof, and a projected edge 116formed on the inside face of a front side thereof. The insulativehousing 1 further includes a rod element 14, which has a first rodportion 141 disposed at a rear side thereof and a projected side 142disposed at a front side thereof. The first arm 11 further has aninstalled hole and a concave groove 114 formed at the rear side thereof,respectively. The installed and the concave groove 114 are communicatedto each other. The rod element 14 is received in the installed hole 113,and the projected side 142 is retained in the concave groove 114.

The conductive terminal 2 is arranged on the base portion 10 of theinsulative housing 1. The conductive terminal 2 has a soldering side 20and a contacting side 21 formed at two sides thereof. The soldering side20 is disposed at an outside of the base portion 10, and the contactingside 21 is disposed at an inside of the base portion 10.

The ejector 3 includes a sliding element 30, an elastic element 31 and aguiding element 32. Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the sliding element 30has a guiding block 301 projected from a bottom side thereof. Theguiding block 301 is rectangular in this embodiment. The guiding blockcan be a square or any other kind of shape. The guiding block 301 slidesin the guiding groove for the sliding element 30 sliding in the slidingarea 111 of the insulative housing 1. The sliding element 30 further hasa retaining wall 306 and a retaining edge 307 formed at the bottom sidethereof. The sliding element has a through hole 305 penetrated throughthe bottom side and a top side thereof. The ejector 3 further includesan auxiliary terminal 33, which has a support portion 331, a bendingportion 332 and an elastic arm 333 connected to each other. The supportportion 331 contacts against to the retaining wall 306 of the slidingelement 30, and has a guiding piece 334 penetrated through the throughhole 305 of the sliding element 30. The elastic arm 333 has an innerbend piece 335 which inserts into the insertion space 13 of theinsulative housing. The elastic arm 333 has a free end contactingagainst the retaining edge 307 of the sliding element 30 for theauxiliary terminal 33 fixing onto the sliding element 30. The slidingelement 30 has a track groove 302 formed on a top face thereof, a pushedface 309 received in the insertion space 13 in an inclined direction,and a notch 308. The projected edge 116 and the notch 308 are matched toeach other to make them more reliable. The sliding element 30 has aninstalled groove 303 formed at an outside thereof, and a second rod 304installed in the installed groove 303. The elastic element 31 isinstalled in the first arm 11 through the installed hole 113, then therod element 14 is fixed in the installed hole 113 for the first rodportion 141 and the second rod portion 304 receiving in two sides of theelastic element 31, and the two sides of the elastic element 31respectively contact against the rod element 14 and the sliding element30. This arrangement makes it easy to assemble the elastic element inthe insulative housing 1 and prevents the elastic element from springingout. The guiding element 32 has a pivot side and a guiding side formedat two sides thereof, respectively. The pivot side 321 is connectedpivotally to the pivot hole 115 of the insulative housing 1, and theguiding side 322 is received movably in the track groove 302 of thesliding element 30.

The shield casing 4 is coved on the insulative housing 1, and includes atop board 40, two lateral boards 41, 42 and a rear board 43. The topboard 40 has a retaining piece 401, an inserting piece 402, a concavepoint 403 and a concave portion 404. The inserting piece 402 ispositioned in the receiving hole 102 of the base portion 10. Theretaining piece 401 contacts against a top side of the guiding side 322.The concave point 403 contacts against a top side of the pivot side 321.The concave portion 404 with a guiding angle (not shown) is received inthe insertion space 13. The top board 40 has a guiding track 405parallel to the guiding groove 112 of the insulative housing 1. Theguiding piece 334 of the auxiliary terminal 33 is disposed slidably inthe guiding track 405. The two lateral boards 41, 42 have twopositioning holes 421 corresponding to the two positioning blocks 121,respectively. The two positioning blocks 121 are clamped in thecorresponding two positioning holes 421. The rear board 43 has apositioning hole 431 corresponding to the positioning block 101. Thepositioning block 101 is clamped in the corresponding positioning hole431. The rear board 43 covers the installed hole 113 of the first arm11.

When the electronic card is inserted into the insertion space 13, oneside of the electronic card pushes the pushed face 309 of the slidingelement 30 to move, and presses the elastic element 31 at the same timefor fixing the guiding side 322 in the track groove 302. When theelectronic card is pushed again, the guiding side 322 is released andthe elastic element 31 pushes the sliding element 30

Because the guiding block 301 of the sliding element 30 is receivedslidably in the guiding groove 112 of the insulative housing 1, thesliding element is moved smoothly into the guiding groove 112 and theelectronic card can be inserted smoothly into the insulative housing 1or ejected smoothly from the insulative housing 1. The guiding piece 334of the auxiliary terminal 33 is installed in the guiding track 405 ofthe shield casing 4 for increasing the reliability of the slidingelement 30. The retaining piece 401 and the concave point 403 contactagainst the guiding side 322 and the pivot side 321, respectively, forpositioning the sliding element 30. The concave portion 404 of theshield casing 4 contacts against the electronic card for guiding theelectronic card to insert firmly into the electrical card connector, andincreasing the conductivity between the electronic card and theconductive terminal 2.

The electrical card connector further includes a detecting terminal 5arranged on the first arm 12 of the insulative housing 1 for detectingthe electronic card which may be electrically connected to theconductive terminal.

Referring to the FIG. 12, the insulative housing 1 further comprises twoguiding grooves 112 parallel to each other. The sliding element 30 ofthe ejector 3 further comprises two guiding blocks 301 projected from abottom side thereof, and the two guiding blocks 301 are parallel to eachother. The two guiding blocks 301 are installed slidably in the twocorresponding guiding grooves 112 for the sliding element 30 slidingsmooth in the insulative housing 10.

To sum up, the present invention has the following advantages:

1. The guiding block 301 of the sliding element 30 is received slidablyin the guiding groove 112 of the insulative housing 1, the slidingelement can be moved smoothly in the guiding groove 112 and theelectronic card can be inserted smoothly into the insulative housing 1or ejected smoothly from the insulative housing 1.

2. The retaining piece 401 and the concave point 403 contact against theguiding side 322 and the pivot side 321, respectively, for positioningthe sliding element 30.

3. The elastic element is easily assembled into the installed hole bythe rod element, so production of the product is more efficient.

4. The concave portion 404 of the shield casing 4 contacts against theelectronic card and guides the electronic card to insert firmly into theelectrical card connector thus increasing the conductivity between theelectronic card and the conductive terminal 2.

5. The guiding piece 334 of the auxiliary terminal 33 is installed inthe guiding track 405 of the shield casing 4 for increasing thereliability of the sliding element 30.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to thepreferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the inventionis not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions andmodification have been suggested in the foregoing description, and otherwill occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all suchsubstitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within thescope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

1. An electrical card connector comprising: an insulative housingincluding an insertion space formed therein, and a guiding groove; anejector including a sliding element and a guiding element, the slidingelement having a guiding block projected from a bottom side thereof, theguiding block being installed slidably in the guiding groove, theguiding element having a pivot side formed at one side thereof and aguiding side formed at an opposite side thereof, the sliding elementhaving a track groove, the pivot side being pivoted to the insulativehousing, the guiding side being received movably in the track groove;and a shield casing covering the insulative housing, the shield casingincluding a top board, the top board having a concave point forcontacting against a top side of the pivot side of the guiding element.2. The electrical card connector as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising a guiding groove parallel to the guiding groove of theinsulative housing, and a guiding block parallel to the guiding block ofthe sliding element, and the two guiding blocks installed slidably inthe two guiding grooves.
 3. The electrical card connector as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the insulative housing further comprises a baseportion, a first arm, and a second arm, the first arm and the second armbeing parallel to each other and respectively connected to two sides ofthe base portion, and the guiding groove formed on an inside side of thefirst arm.
 4. The electrical card connector as claimed in claim 1,wherein the sliding element has a pushed face formed in an inclineddirection.
 5. The electrical card connector as claimed in claim 3,further comprising a plurality of conductive terminals, each of theconductive terminals arranged on the base portion of the insulativehousing, and having a soldering side and a contacting side respectivelyformed at two sides thereof, wherein each of the soldering sides arearranged on an outside of the base portion, and each of the contactingsides are arranged in the insertion space.
 6. The electrical cardconnector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first arm further comprisesa sliding area formed on an inside thereof, the sliding areacommunicated to the insertion space, and the sliding element of theejector received slidably in the sliding area.
 7. The electrical cardconnector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first arm has a projectededge formed on the inside face of a front side thereof, and the slidingelement has a notch matched with the projected edge for increasedreliability.
 8. The electrical card connector as claimed in claim 3,wherein the ejector includes an elastic element, the insulative housingincludes a rod element and an installed hole formed on a rear sidethereof, wherein the elastic element is installed in the first armthrough the installed hole, and the rod element is fixed in theinstalled hole, wherein the elastic element has two sides respectivelycontacting against the rod element and the sliding element.
 9. Theelectrical card connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rod elementhas a projected side, and the first arm further has a concave grooveformed at the rear side thereof, wherein the installed hole and theconcave groove are communicated to each other, and the projected side isretained in the concave groove.
 10. The electrical card connector asclaimed in claim 8, wherein the rod element has a first rod portion, andthe sliding element has an installed groove formed thereon and a secondrod installed in the installed groove, one side of the elastic elementinstalled in the installed groove, and the first rod portion and thesecond rod portion received in two sides of the elastic element,respectively.
 11. The electrical card connector as claimed in claim 8,wherein the shield casing includes a rear board which has a positioninghole formed thereon, and the base portion of the insulative housinghaving a positioning block disposed on an outside face thereof, whereinthe positioning block is clamped in the corresponding positioning hole,and the rear board is used to cover the installed hole of the first arm.12. The electrical card connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the topboard has a retaining piece and the retaining piece contacts against atop side of the guiding side of the guiding element.
 13. (canceled) 14.The electrical card connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shieldcasing has a guiding track parallel to the guiding groove of theinsulative housing, wherein the sliding element has a through hole, theejector has an auxiliary terminal disposed slidably in the slidingelement, and the auxiliary terminal has a guiding piece penetratedthrough the through hole of the sliding element and installed slidablyin the guiding track.
 15. The electrical card connector as claimed inclaim 14, wherein the sliding element of the ejector has a retainingwall and a retaining angle, and the auxiliary terminal has a supportportion, a bending portion and an elastic arm, wherein the supportportion contacts against to the retaining wall of the sliding element,the elastic arm has an inner bend piece which is inserted into theinsertion space of the insulative housing, and the elastic arm has afree end contacts against the retaining edge of the sliding element forthe auxiliary terminal fixing onto the sliding element.